This invention generally relates to television or video cameras and remote-controllable video signal recording/reproducing apparatus, such as a video tape recorder (VTR) or the like, and more particularly the present invention relates to remote-control systems between a television camera and a video signal recording/reproducing apparatus.
Conventional television cameras, which are used together with a recording/reproducing apparatus, such as a VTR or the like, are equipped with a start/stop button for driving and stopping the magnetic recording tape in the recording mode so that unnecessary images are prevented from being recorded on the magnetic tape.
Some conventional television cameras are equipped with an electronic view finder through which not only the shooting images but also prerecorded images reproduced from the VTR can be seen. However, in the case of monitoring by means of such an electronic view finder mounted on or built in the camera, it is impossible to change the operating modes of the VTR, such as rewinding, fast forwarding etc. from the television camera side. Therefore, it is necessary to directly manipulate the VTR to set the same in a desired operating mode. Although the VTR may be manipulated to select a desired mode if the shooter carries both the television camera and the VTR, in the case that the VTR is placed apart from the shooter, the shooter must carry a remote-control unit electrically connected to the VTR together with the television camera. It is troublesome to manipulate both the television camera and the remote-control unit by gripping the camera in one hand and the remote-control unit in the other hand. Furthermore, it is desirable to use both hands to hold and manipulate the television camera so as to stably hold the camera to obtain stable images. In addition, the use of the conventional remote-control unit together with a television camera requires at least two cables leading to the VTR; one for the camera, and the other from the remote-control unit. When the cables are relatively long, the cables are apt to become entangled and are apt to become obstacles to the operation of the camera. Namely, the conventional television cameras are not satisfactory in operativity especially in the case of controlling the VTR in various modes even if a remote-control unit is used.